Roxanne James, Member of Parliament for Scarborough-Centre, on behalf of the Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Norm Kelly, Councillor, Ward 40 Scarborough-Agincourt, are present.

Earle Bales Park before the Earl Bales Stormwater Management Pond was built in 2011.

Yesterday, November 18, governments celebrated the new Earl Bales ParkStormwater Management Facility which will provide green benefits and highlights such as:

Large stormwater pond designed to blend into the natural environment in Earl Bales Park, as well as new storm sewers;

Various ravine restoration measures were also undertaken;

Meet water quality objectives for urban stormwater runoff, improve the water quality of the West Don River by capturing and treating 90 per cent of total annual stormwater runoff from the catchment area, and reduce the erosion in Earl Bales Park and tree loss along 2.5 kilometres of ravine system;

Promoting long-term integrity of the forest canopy;

Using the pond water instead of the Don River for golf course irrigation during the summer and for snow-making on the Earl Bales Park ski hill during winter;

Increasing fish and wildlife habitat;

Protecting exposed sections of sewer infrastructure; and

Revitalizing a dilapidated piece of land, (formerly a wastewater treatment plant and a leaf composting facility) into a functional stormwater management pond that blends into the natural environment, while integrating into an established trail system.

News Release

TORONTO – Representatives of the federal government and of the City of Toronto gathered today to celebrate the new Earl Bales Park Stormwater Management Facility.

This new facility includes a large stormwater pond designed to blend into the natural environment in Earl Bales Park, as well as new storm sewers. Various ravine restoration measures were also undertaken. These upgrades will help the City of Toronto meet water quality objectives for urban stormwater runoff, improve the water quality of the West Don River, and reduce the erosion in Earl Bales Park. Key innovations of this project include using the pond water for golf course irrigation during the summer and for snow-making on the Earl Bales Park ski hill during winter.

“These improvements at Earl Bales Park are great news for local residents,” said Mark Adler, Member of Parliament for York Centre, on behalf of the Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities. “Our Government is proud to support this important project that created jobs and will protect the environment for many years to come.”

“The installation of the new Earl Bales Stormwater Management Facility will help protect against basement, flooding, stream bank erosion and improve water quality in the city’s water courses such as the West Don River and the ravines,” said Councillor Denzil Minnan-Wong (Ward 34 Don Valley East), Chair of the City of Toronto’s Public Works and Infrastructure Committee, on behalf of Mayor Rob Ford. “The City would like to thank the Government of Canada for jointly funding this new piece of infrastructure for Toronto.”

The Government of Canada is contributing one-third of total eligible project costs, to a maximum of $3.33 million, for the Earl Bales Park Storm Water Facility. The City of Toronto is contributing the balance of the $10 million project cost.

Federal support for this project comes from the Government of Canada’s Infrastructure Stimulus Fund, which has resulted in over 4,100 infrastructure projects across the country.